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What Judges Look For at a Cat Show
By Cassidy Williams
You know that your cat is the handsomest, most graceful feline in the world, with the quirkiest
personality. Have you ever considered taking him to a show to let others judge for themselves?
Even if your favorite pet has neither pedigree nor registration, he may be eligible for many cat
shows. Here are some of the things the judges are looking for at those shows.
Various organizations sponsor cat shows all over the country. A few of the larger ones are these:
TICA, The International Cat Association; CFA, Cat Fancier's Association; ACFA, American Cat Fancier's
Association; and AACE, American Association of Cat Enthusiasts. Each organization hires and trains
its own judges.
To become a judge, one must have been in the cat business for many years. Show staff are comprised
mainly of long-time breeders. Judges have worked in any and all aspects of cat shows. Once they've
gained experience as entry clerk, ring clerk, manager or committee member, show staff can graduate
to judging. By this time the individual has attended hundreds of shows as both breeder and staff,
and is therefore qualified to judge on the various breeds.
There are several categories at any cat show. Most will have three separate divisions: kittens,
altered, unaltered and household pets. Kittens are between four and eight months old, pedigreed
and not fixed. Among the pedigreed, registered adults, there are separate categories for those who
are neutered or spayed (altered) and those who are not. Finally, there is the household pet section,
in which any handsome cat can qualify!
The judges have books which describe the standards for each breed. The standard is the ideal for each
type of cat. The job of the judges is to pick the cat which most closely represents that ideal. Each
cat is judged according to a point system. Condition and appearance of the various parts of the body
are taken into consideration, as are color and pattern of the coat. The total number of points
comprises the cat's score.
Judges at cat shows are not given any information about ownership of the cat, or whether or not a
particular animal has won any competitions. This includes other parts of the competition at which
they are currently officiating. This insures that the judges are not influenced by the cat's past
performance. Instead of using names or owner's names, each pet is given a number for identification
in the ring.
In addition to beauty and grace, cat show judges are looking for a good temperament and grooming.
A cat who will calmly allow a judge to handle it will do better than one which fights and squirms.
Many cats are so calm that they actually fall asleep during the show! Owners are encouraged to wake
their cats prior to judging so that they will appear alert.
Owners are given the opportunity to do some last minute brushing and primping before their cats go
into the ring. Make sure your pet looks its best at that crucial moment! Even if he's not being judged
by breed standards, a clean and healthy appearance will improve his chances!
About the Author: Catpert is the most complete website about cats and kittens.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/
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